DePaul University

DePaul University's Early Action deadline is November 15, and the Regular Decision deadline is February 1. Transfer applications are reviewed on a rolling admissions basis. For international students, the main intake is in September, and specific program deadlines may apply, such as December 1 for the School of Music and February 1 for The Theatre School. Students interested in merit scholarships should submit their application by November 15, which is DePaul's priority deadline for scholarship consideration.

International freshman applicants must complete all four pages of the application for admission and submit the $40 application fee. Applicants must request their high school counselor complete the High School Counselor Recommendation page of the application and submit their official high school transcript, including a copy of their senior year courses if not included on the transcript. Either the ACT or SAT is required, though the writing test on the ACT and the writing section on the SAT are not required for admission consideration. International applicants must submit official U.S. transcripts or a course-by-course evaluation from a university-approved agency for international credentials, and provide English Proficiency Test scores from TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or other accepted tests.

DePaul University offers a variety of on-campus housing options at both the Lincoln Park and Loop campuses. In Lincoln Park, students can choose from traditional residence halls or apartment communities, while the Loop campus features the University Center, which offers suites and apartments just steps away from DePaul's downtown campus. In a typical year, approximately 2,500 students live on the Lincoln Park Campus. Meal plans are required for all students living in Lincoln Park campus housing and for students living in suite-style units at the University Center. Housing assignments are sent via email approximately by early July and are also available in the Housing portal at myhousing.depaul.edu.

DePaul University comprises six campuses in and around Chicago, with the Lincoln Park campus and the Loop campus forming the core of academic and administrative activities. The Lincoln Park Campus is a residential campus of approximately 34 acres located about three miles north of downtown Chicago, consisting of more than 45 buildings used for academic instruction, residential housing, student services, and recreational purposes. The Loop campus is located in the business district of downtown Chicago and consists of interconnected and adjacent buildings of over 1.3 million square feet providing facilities for academic and administrative functions. DePaul also has four additional suburban campus locations in O'Hare, Naperville, Oak Forest, and Rolling Meadows.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students that may be obtained from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to lawfully pursue employment in their academic field of study. F-1 students may apply for a total of 12 months of OPT to be used before completion of studies (pre-completion OPT) and/or after completion of studies (post-completion OPT). To be eligible, students must have maintained F-1 status (full-time enrollment) for a minimum of one academic year, which at DePaul University is equivalent to at least three consecutive quarters. USCIS must receive the post-completion OPT application no earlier than 90 days prior to the degree program completion date and no later than 60 days following the degree program completion date.

Yes, some students in an eligible STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) degree program may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their OPT authorization. DePaul University offers 310 STEM-designated programs eligible for the 24-month OPT extension, providing an opportunity for international students to develop their careers while also helping meet the demand for STEM-educated professionals in the U.S. workforce. Students can apply for the STEM extension during the last 3 months of their OPT period, and the length of the STEM extension is 24 months (2 years).